The Shape of Your Face
by ElfNight
Summary: AU. Mousse is faced with the possibility of going blind; this makes him take a good hard look at his life and the people in it. What he sees changes everything... eventual shonen-ai aka SLASH! Mousse/Ranma
1. Chapter One

**THE SHAPE OF YOUR FACE**

**Author: **LittleMouse aka ElfNight

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. I have nothing. I am nothing. (Weeps)

**Warnings:** For mild language, light references to lemony bits, and m/m kissing - making out.

**Summary:** Mousse is faced with the possibility of going blind; this makes him take a good hard look at his life and the people in it. What he sees changes everything... eventual shonen-ai.

**A/N:** I like Mousse, he's the prettiest boy in this anime, I think, so I wanted more fics with him - there aren't many - so... I'm helping... :) and I DON'T LIKE SHAMPOO - so she shall be bashed. Beware.

CHAPTER ONE

Mousse pushed his glasses up for the tenth time that morning and rubbed his burning eyes. He really needed to have an eye exam - he wondered if they made stronger prescriptions that what he already had. He smiled to himself as he went about serving the few customers in the Nekohanten. It was a slow day, which was rather unusual - none of the regulars had been in. He was amused at how much this relieved him. He was normally upset if it was a slow day, because his Beloved would be upset, fretting about not enough money and listing all the things she wanted to buy. Today he couldn't help but put concern for her pocketbook aside. His eyes were stinging and tearing so badly that his sight was far worse than usual. Only the fact that he had the restaurant thoroughly memorized kept him from tripping over the furniture. He felt a little guilty when he was glad his Love _wasn't_ there, entertaining herself as she usually did by shoving obstacles in his path.

Several customers looked at his tear-filled eyes and asked if he was all right - he smiled at their concern and assured them he just needed new glasses. After the sixth or seventh time she heard him saying this, Cologne came marching out of the kitchen, stared at his watery grey eyes for a long moment, then demanded they switch places.

"You are bothering the customers!"

So he took residence in the warm, steamy kitchen, cooking the ramen and the various other dishes that were ordered. The moisture in the air seemed to help his eyes - he soon felt much better. After an hour or so of peaceful work, he heard the restaurant door crash open.

"Great-grandmother!" A strident female voice called, "Airen comes! Must have food ready! Where is potion?"

He sighed. The peace was definitely over now. He spent a single second wondering what potion they were going to try on poor Ranma now... wait! What did he mean, 'poor Ranma?!' That jerk deserved everything he got! He just didn't want it to be something that would actually make him love Shampoo - yeah, that was what he meant to think.

He set a huge pot of ramen to cooking on the stove, knowing that was what bottomless-pit Ranma and his friends would ask for. He was still frowning a little - lately he'd had to be careful what he thought of Shampoo and the others. He found his sympathies switching sides when he didn't consciously keep them in place, found vague thoughts floating through his head that were a bit unkind to his Beloved. He strangled them on sight, but they kept resurrecting and bringing friends with them.

He sighed again as the door crashed open and the noise level skyrocketed. Ranma was here. So much for his peaceful afternoon.

"Mousse! Bring food for Ranma! Hurry up! Where _is_ stupid Duck Boy?"

He heard her high heels clacking as she rushed toward the kitchen, and tried to move faster. He was dishing up a large bowl of ramen, hoping to compensate for his earlier unkind thoughts by pleasing his Adored One when...

"Stupid, stupid Duck Boy! Too slow!" She squealed, reaching an octave he was sure was reserved for calling hogs - aargh! There he went again!

"The food is ready, Shampoo-san..." He turned with the tray and stopped short when he saw her evil smile.

"No, not ready yet." She reach into her cleavage and pulled out a tiny black bottle. Wriggling out the cork, she dumped a few drops of dark purple liquid into the bowl and gave it a quick stir. "_Now_ food is ready! Make sure give this one to Ranma!" She pointed at the bowl with the potion - he had heard Akane and Ryoga's voices, too, and there were three bowls on the tray. He nodded, obedient as always, yet she gave him a funny look. "No try any funny stuff, Duck Boy." She growled, and threatened him by miming pouring cold water over his head. His expression hadn't been as Anything-for-you-Shampoo-you-are-wonderful as usual, and she was suspicious.

He followed her meekly to the table, too concerned about the burning setting itself back up in his eyes to glare at Ranma when she glomped onto him. The others didn't notice at first - it was only after he set the bowls on the table and turned back to the comforting dampness of the kitchen that Ranma spoke.

"Hey, Mousse! What's up, no death threats? No fight?"

Mousse looked back over his shoulder and shook his head mutely. Three people at the table gasped - Shampoo was cuddled as close to Ranma as she could get with him trying to shove her away, and was paying no attention at all to the long-haired boy serving them.

"Gods, Mousse, you look terrible! Have you been crying?" Akane actually sounded concerned, which surprised him. He often thought the others had trouble remembering his name.

"Oh, no." He tried a smile, unable to see their expressions with his glasses on top of his head, but he _was not_ putting those torture devices back on right now. "It's just..."

"Stupid Mousse! Duck Boy fine, go away! No bother Airen!" Shampoo picked up a bowl of ramen - it was Ranma's, luckily for him she had forgotten about the potion - and threw it at Mousse's head. Luck seemed to be going around the Nekohanten that day - Mousse didn't see the bowl coming, but he stepped away just as she threw it and it banged into the wall instead of his skull. Ranma laughed and stole Akane's ramen, distracting both of the girls. They didn't notice how his eyes followed Mousse as he left the room. Ryoga did, but he kept his mouth shut.

Mousse took a quick look through his glasses to make sure the kitchen was in order - there was enough food prepared for the next hour or so, and Cologne was around somewhere to fix more if it was needed. He made sure no one was watching and slipped out the back door. If his eyes looked so bad his _enemies_ noticed, he needed to see Dr. Tofu now.


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Mousse sat on the edge of the chair, hands lying limply in his lap. He stared blankly at Dr. Tofu, trying to process what the man had just told him.

"Mousse, are you all right?" The doctor knew it was a dumb question to ask after you told someone they were probably going to be *blind* but he was worried at the lack of reaction from his young patient. Those large grey eyes were fixed on his face - such beautiful eyes, it really was a shame... "Mousse? Talk to me."

"Are you sure?" The words were calm and quiet.

"Yes, I'm sorry. A year at the most, unless you decide to try the operation."

Mousse gave a snort of derision. "Where would I get $7,000?"

"Perhaps Cologne and Shampoo..."

He was interrupted by laughter.

"Please! They don't even pay me now. I'm lucky they let me live there in exchange for work." Mousse shook his head. "No, if I decide for the operation, I'll have to take care of the expenses myself."

"What will you do?"

"I don't know yet. I - I don't want you to tell anyone about this."

Dr. Tofu frowned. "Well, of course, if that's your desire, I will respect your privacy. But you are going to need help, Mousse. You have a lot to learn, and if you try to earn that much money at the same time you'll be exhausted before you even get started."

Mousse shook his head again. "I'm used to hard work."

"Well." Dr. Tofu sighed, keeping his opinion to himself. "I'll just get the glasses and the eyedrops, then." He left the room.

Mousse waited until he was sure he was out of hearing, then he groaned and dropped his face into his hands. What was he going to do? Blind - they'd never let him work at the café _blind_ - they barely tolerated him now. His bad eyesight was considered a blot on the tribe's honor as it was - a blind boy wouldn't be suffered at all. His mind went over the list of things he had to do; learn Braille, find a paying job, find a place to live, open a savings account - too many things. Hide from Cologne. Shampoo wouldn't care, with her out of sight was out of mind, but Cologne had issues with the 'honor of the tribe'. He'd have to figure out a way to change his appearance. Have to come up with a good excuse for vanishing. Dr. Tofu had recommended a class that would teach him how to get around without being able to see. He didn't need that - he had enough experience with getting around without his glasses. Total blindness couldn't be _that_ much different from seeing nothing but colored blurs.

Could it?

"Here we are!" Dr. Tofu's voice was purposefully hearty.

Mousse looked up and saw him holding two small cases and a prescription bag. He took them carefully, opened the cases to see a pair of thick-lensed glasses, smaller than his old pair, rimless with delicate silver frames. Those _had_ to be expensive - the other case had a pair of dark glasses with stylish round lenses and sleek dark frames. "No need to look bad while you're taking care of those eyes." Dr. Tofu said cheerfully.

"I - can't afford these."

"Nonsense! I used leftover frames, discount priced! You can make payments. The instructions for the eyedrops are in the bag. Be sure you wear the dark glasses anywhere you might be exposed to intense light. Now I recommend you go home and get a good night's sleep. Try not to worry. The operation will almost certainly be successful." He kept chattering as he guided the still-stunned boy out the door, sighing when he closed it behind him.

Poor kid.

*

Mousse shuffled slowly down the sidewalk, kicking small stones out of his way. He wasn't in any hurry to get back to the café, and with the new glasses and the soothing eyedrops Dr. Tofu had already put in, his eyes didn't hurt anymore. He needed to think - if he went back now, he'd be cooking and cleaning until the wee hours of the morning. It was just twilight, soft rays of the sun giving way to a soothing half-light. The world was beautiful, he decided, watching the dance of leaves swirling in the soft breeze. Gods, it was _beautiful_, and he wanted to keep seeing it. He couldn't believe how much time he'd wasted in that stuffy little restaurant when he could have been outside watching the gorgeous play of life. He found himself stopping to study the subtle shades of red and rust in a brick wall, becoming absorbed with the tiny pebbled shadows on each small block. He put out a hand to feel the texture, tying the memory of color to the feeling of roughness beneath his fingertips. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him.

"Hey, Mousse!" The loud voice sounded almost in his ear, and he nearly leaped out of his skin, whirling around and pulling knives from his wide sleeves. "Whoa! Take it easy - you're the one who didn't want to fight."

Ranma.

He sighed and let his knives slip back into his sleeves, ready to scowl at the boy - but he stopped short, staring. _Was_ this Ranma? Had to be - thick dark hair in a braided ponytail, big dark eyes, red and black clothes... but did Ranma always look this tired? Did his smile always look so forced? There was something oddly - hunted - about the wide grin.

"Are you all right?" They asked the words at the same time, and then smiled, both almost timid.

"Are you?" Ranma asked again, and Mousse saw his eyes grow sharp. Waiting for a lie, then. Well, he'd just have to lie his hardest.

"I'm... okay. I was... having some trouble - with my eyes."

"You got new glasses."

"Yes. Different prescription."

"Oh." Ranma frowned, looking suddenly uncomfortable. "Oh," he repeated, "Well, okay. See ya around, Mousse." He turned and dashed away. Mousse's reply was too quiet for the other boy to hear.

"See you. For awhile."


	3. Chapter Three

3

When Mousse finally went back to the Nekohanten, it was after midnight. The restaurant was locked up tightly, so he climbed the drainpipe and slid in the window that he always left open. 'Good thing I do, too.' He thought to himself, irritated at the fact that the women he worked his rear off for had locked up _knowing_ he was outside. For the first time he didn't try to stop the angry thoughts about them. For gods sake, even if he was beneath them, he was _still_ a member of the tribe, wasn't he? Why did they always have to treat him like dirt when he only wanted to please his Beloved?

He sighed and flopped down on his bed, staring around the room like he'd never seen it before. Was it always this small? This dingy? This crowded? Why did he have all this crap in here with him? Weapons - okay, those he understood. A box holding his clothes, okay. A wall covered with pictures of Shampoo? That was just sad. A plastic cup she'd thrown away, chopsticks she'd broken in a fit of anger, an old hairbrush with strands of purple hair still clinging to it - that was just sick. Why had he never realized what an obsessed psychopath he was?

He giggled, too tired to be serious, and started sorting through his things. None of the little 'Shampoo knickknacks' - he had decided to make a clean break from his Amazon masters. Most of the weapons he could fit into his clothes, most of his spare clothes he could fit in there, too. He wasn't a Hidden Weapons expert for nothing, was he? For some reason he couldn't stop giggling. Maybe he was too tired to do this tonight?

No.

No, he wanted out quick, a quick clean wound hurt much less than a slow tearing cut. He had loved Shampoo - _thought_ he loved Shampoo - for so long and so hard that walking away couldn't help but hurt. He wanted it to hurt as little as possible.

The pictures helped. It was amazing, looking at them with his new eyes, all the little things he saw that he'd never seen before. How narrow the space was between her eyes, how the full lips he'd admired looked selfish and petted. How the clothes he'd thought alluring were really just - well, slutty. No wonder Ranma didn't want to marry her.

Ranma - he thought again about the tired young face hiding behind that wide grin. "I wonder why he looks so tired and so haunted? I thought he was always enjoying himself, being chased around by so many girls. Weird." Mousse put the last of his weapons into his right sleeve and started on his clothes. He'd changed into his oldest, plainest clothes, a worn set of clothing that had been black once but had been washed so many times it was a dull gray. It was much different that his usual neat white and blue. He only kept it for really filthy chores and he didn't think it had been worn outside the café in over a year. When he'd worn it inside it had been for after-hours chores, so he doubted if Shampoo and Cologne even remembered it.

He finished packing away his clothes and a few personal items and then sat down on a rickety chair in front of a cracked mirror. He held a pair of scissors in his hands for a long moment, then reached for his hair. He started to cut - and stopped. Started again. Stopped again.

"Can't do it." He whispered. He'd always been proud of his hair, taking extra special care of it. It was long, thick and black and reached nearly to his waist, a waterfall of deep dark silk. He scowled at himself over his weakness, but then his face brightened. He went scrambling through his memorabilia of Shampoo until he came upon a half-used tube of hair dye. The purple-haired girl had once used it to disguise herself when she was stalking Ranma. He snuck down the hall to the bathroom, came out half an hour later with hair a muddy shade of brown, slicked completely back into a tight braid. He stared at himself in the mirror for a long moment. With different hair, his bangs gelled back and the new glasses, he barely recognized himself.

Perfect.

He turned to his secret hiding place, a loose floorboard that was held down firmly by the iron frame of his bed. Shifting the foot of the bed aside as quietly as he could, he lifted the board and pulled out a little sack of coins. He'd been collecting every cent he could get his hands on to buy Shampoo a birthday present _guaranteed_ to make her love him. Once he'd explained to Cologne what he was doing - cleverly leaving out the 'love' part - she'd allowed him to keep his tips. They'd be going to Shampoo anyway, just in a round-about way. He'd managed to squirrel away a tidy little sum, thinking about expensive perfume or stunning jewelry - now he'd put it to better use.

He took one last look around the drab little room and sighed. So many years spent here, frustrated and yearning for a love he knew now he'd never get. Shampoo wasn't _capable_ of loving anyone. Anyone but herself. One more sigh, and he turned to the window, slipping out, down the drainpipe, and away.

He headed across Nerima to the seedy side of town, away from everyone and everyplace that he was familiar with. The nightlife was active here, he had to avoid more than one person who thought he was prey. He finally found a small, rundown boarding house that offered small rooms and breakfast for a weekly sum. He paid for two weeks and dumped all his belongings in the room, everything except a few knives leaving the wide sleeves. He couldn't carry all that where he was going next. He slipped out and locked the door, putting the key in his pocket with a feeling of satisfactory security. It was the first time in his life he'd ever had a key to lock anything away.

After tiptoeing down the stairs to avoid being seen by any other residents, he wandered the streets until he found the next thing he was looking for, a tiny little store that offered used clothing at ridiculously low prices. There were a few other people inside rooting through the stacks of wearables and none looked up when he joined them. He looked for clothing as completely different from what he usually wore as possible, found it in several pairs of loose, worn jeans, some baggy old pullover sweaters and faded button-up shirts. He even found a t-shirt or two. One amused him, it was black with a picture of a grey owl wearing large glasses and the words 'I SEE YOU!' in large scrawled print. Two pairs of slightly battered sneakers completed his purchases, and he headed back to his new home.

A half hour of struggling with unfamiliar clothes and he was back outside, wearing the jeans, a long sleeved dark blue t-shirt and a faded blue pullover. He left them both untucked, with no idea of how young and vulnerable he looked. It was a struggle getting his knives into the tighter sleeves, but he had gotten the new technique down before leaving. As much as he needed to do the third thing on his list, he wasn't about to go out unprotected. Not in this part of town.

He wandered again until he saw a small, dingy looking bar with a 'Help-Wanted' sign in the window. It couldn't be that different from waiting on tables in a café - he opened the door and went inside.


	4. Chapter Four

4

When Mousse had slid out of his window and vanished into the night, he thought it would be weeks before Shampoo noticed, months before anyone else did and an eternity before someone _cared_. He was wrong, on all three counts.

Shampoo came bouncing down the stairs of the Cat Café with her usual bright empty smile. "Morning, Great-grandmother!" She called, coming into the kitchen. The old woman was stirring a pot on the stove and greeted her with a nod.

"Good morning, great-granddaughter. Take basket, get tables ready for customers." She jerked her spoon toward a basket filled with silverware and napkins. Shampoo stared at her.

"That stupid Duck Boy's job! Why Shampoo do _his_ work?!"

Cologne leveled a glare at her. "Because great-granddaughter locked door last night, remember?"

"Oh." Shampoo giggled. She still thought that was funny and wondered where Mousse had been forced to spend the night. "Not worry. Shampoo find." She unlocked the back door and flung it open. "MOUSSE!" She screamed and stood expecting a blue and white tornado to come running and throw itself at her feet. She waited.

And waited.

And waited a little longer before bellowing again. "STUPID DUCK BOY! COME TO WORK NOW!!!"

Still nothing.

"Great-granddaughter. Customers come soon. You must get tables ready, worry about Mousse later."

Shampoo turned and grabbed the basket, growling under her breath. "Not _worried_ about him. Going to _kill_ him." She grudgingly lay the tables for breakfast, both Amazon women expecting a breathless and repentant Mousse to come dashing through the door any moment. Instead they got an unexpected rush of customers. Shampoo was soon run off her high heels trying to wait on every table at once. Her grudge toward Mousse was growing.

*

It had reached epic proportions by late afternoon, when Ranma, Akane and Ryoga made their daily pass for free food. Instead of their usual boisterous rush to 'their' table, they just stood and stared.

Shampoo was staggering around the room with a loaded tray, delivering food to tables without an ounce of her usual grace. Gone were her high heels, her huge smile, her perfect clothes. Her hair was a frazzled mess and her outfit was wrinkled. She looked like she was about to drop where she stood. Most astonishing of all, she didn't realize Ranma was there.

"Miss! Oh, Miss!" A customer called, waving her hand frantically. "Miss, this _isn't_ what I ordered!"

"And this isn't mine!" A man bellowed, looking angry. "Really, the service around here is usually much better!"

"It certainly is!" Another woman fussed. "My food is cold and this isn't the drink I wanted."

Shampoo looked like she was ready to scream. She set the tray down on an unoccupied table and rushed around the room, trying to fix all the screwed-up orders. The others just kept staring at her. They had seen Shampoo help out occasionally when the café was really full, but they had never _ever_ seen her attempt to do all the work herself. In the open doorway to the kitchen they could see Cologne faring a little better, though she looked tired and rushed. They eased further into the room and sat at their table.

"Uh... Shamps? What's going on? Where's Mousse?" Those seemed to be the wrong choice of words. Shampoo exploded.

"Mousse? Mousse?! DON'T TALK ABOUT STUPID DUCK BOY TO ME!" Then her eyes settled on who she was screaming at and she did an abrupt mood swing. She let her bottom lip quiver, big violet eyes filling with tears. "Ooooooh, Airen! Is terrible! No Duck Boy and poor Shampoo has to do all work!" She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Ranma pulled back, staring down at her with an odd expression on his face. "No Mousse? What do you mean, Shamps? Where is he?"

"Not know, Airen! No Mousse all day! Call and call and call..."

"Is he in his room?" Akane asked, her voice concerned as she remembered Mousse's red eyes yesterday. Maybe he _had_ been crying.

"Don't know." Shampoo's voice was muffled against Ranma's neck. "No time to look." Her words were apparently a catalyst - voices started calling all over the restaurant.

"Miss! Oh, Miss, _where_ is my food?"

"Check, please! I've been waiting ten minutes!"

"Waitress! This _still_ isn't my order!"

Shampoo moaned and got back on her aching feet. She gave Ranma a pathetic look and he squirmed. Akane sighed. "I'll help you out for a few minutes, Shampoo, while the boys check on Mousse. Maybe he's sick."

Shampoo looked venomous. "_Going_ to be sick, when Shampoo sees him!" She spun around and flounced away. Akane rolled her eyes and gave the boys a telling look - well. She was going to, but Ryoga was the only one there. Ranma was already halfway up the stairs. Ryoga snickered and followed the younger martial artist.

Ranma was standing inside the doorway to a tiny room, staring. Three other doors were open, one a bathroom and the other two bedrooms full of women's things. So this room had to be Mousse's. Ryoga looked inside and winced. He'd seen nicer rooms in sleazy motels. The walls needed paint, the floor was bare, the small bed should have had new mattresses years ago. There were a very few pieces of old clothing and one or two broken, discarded weapons laying in a neat stack on a wobbly little side table. Another box apparently full of pictures of Shampoo and some weird odds and ends was on the floor beside it. Other than that the room was barren.

"This is... something's wrong." Ranma said slowly. "Where's his stuff? I know he has more than that." He waved a hand at the rubbish on the little table. Ryoga saw a piece of paper on the bed and strode forward. He picked up a scribbled note and read it, Ranma peering over his shoulder.

Cologne,

It seems I need training in a new area. I will be leaving in search of such training.

Mousse

"That's it?" Ranma squeaked, grabbing the paper and turning it over as if there would be more writing hidden on the back. Ryoga frowned right along with him.

"It does seem a little short. They're pretty much the only family he has, aren't they? And not a word to Shampoo..."

"Something's _really_ wrong." Ranma agreed. "I thought he was acting weird last night."

"You saw him last night?"

"Yeah."

"Where? What was he doing?"

"Uh, just down the street. He was staring at a wall."

"Ranma - that's odd, even for Mousse. Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah. I asked if he was okay and he said he was fine. He asked if _I_ was okay."

"Well." Ryoga scratched the back of his head. "Obviously Mousse has been kidnaped for reasons unknown and you met a replacement. Mousse would never ask if you were okay. Wonder why the replacement didn't show up for work?"

"Maybe because he realized how much he'd have to do?" Ranma snorted. "No, Ryoga, it was Mousse I was talking to. He _was_ acting a little odd, but he didn't look any different. Except for..."

"Except for what?"

"Well, he had new glasses. Nice frames." Ryoga eyed him and he blushed. "What?"

"Nothing. If he had new glasses, maybe he had been to Dr. Tofu's? Didn't he look like his eyes were bothering him when we ate here last night?"

"Yeah. Maybe we should go see Dr. Tofu?"

*

Dr. Tofu gazed at them over the rims of his reading glasses, his expression stern. "Now boys - you know I can't go around handing out a patient's confidential information. Not even to friends."

Ranma gave him his best 'puppy eyes' look. "Can you at least tell us if he was here yesterday?"

The doctor frowned. "I am not sure that would be..."

"He's missing." Ryoga's rough voice cut in.

"Missing?!"

"He's gone. All of his things are gone and no one knows where he is."

Dr. Tofu stayed silent for a very long moment, staring down at his desk. Finally he spoke. "Young men, I am not quite sure why Mousse has gone missing. I do know that there are things going on in his life that he has chosen not to tell anyone. I don't know the reason _why_ he was - extremely adamant - about no one knowing, but he was." He leaned over and took a file out of a nearby cabinet, started tapping it gently on the edge of the desk. "You know I can't let you see what's in this file?" Both the boys sitting in front of his desk nodded. "Hmm. Well, would you like some tea?"

They stared at him blankly.

He nearly groaned and lay the file down on the desk with obvious slowness, then lifted his hands away just as slowly. "I asked if you'd like me to... go into the other room... and make you some tea?" Ryoga was still goggling at him, eyes and mouth round. Ranma seemed to be getting it - he nodded slowly.

"Yes... tea would be... nice."

"Good!" Dr. Tofu got up and walked out, leaving the folder laying innocently on the desktop. Ranma waited until the door closed behind him, then he pounced on it.


	5. Chapter Five

5

When Mousse's shift was getting close to the end he was relieved. He'd had this job for a month and already knew it in and out, but that didn't mean he liked it. It _was_ a lot like working at the Nekohanten, but there were a few major differences. Drunks for one - he stopped wiping down the bar and eyed one who was sliding off the barstool. A quick signal to Artemus had the hulking bouncer 'helping' the man outside. Mousse went back to his polishing and his thoughts.

The noise was another difference. Except for when Ranma and his followers showed up, the Nekohanten was a quiet, pleasant place to eat, attracting a polite clientele. Mousse had stopped counting the fights and screaming matches here on his first night. The boss had been a little leery of hiring him and he knew it was because he looked so young. Then his wife had leaned over and whispered in his ear for a long moment. The man's eyes had widened and he had abruptly offered Mousse the job, at two dollars above minimum wage. Mousse still wasn't quite sure why.

"Hi, Mark." A female voice cooed. He looked up at the name - the boss' wife had informed him that 'Mousse' was too 'oriental' and had called him Mark. He'd thought it rather silly - too oriental when they were in Japan? And 'Mousse' wasn't even an oriental name - or his real name. He hadn't even bothered telling her it was really Msu Tsu. He could imagine her face. He turned his attention reluctantly back to the blond leaning over the bar.

This was the third reason he didn't like this job. He kept getting hit on. He'd never thought of himself as particularly attractive before, and with his hair dyed such a muddy brown he felt absolutely ugly - yet this woman and other customers - not all of them women - were constantly trying to 'get into his pants' as one had crudely put it. And when he had to wait tables? Gods, _that_ was just walking through a sea of groping hands. Of course, his tips were good, and were adding to his tiny savings account - but he wasn't sure it was worth it.

"What can I get for you, Miss Dorothy?" He asked politely. He'd called her 'miss' until she had pouted and told him her name, then he just tacked it on. He refused to get on a first-name base with any of the customers. It just seemed safer that way. He told them it was because he had to stay polite.

"Now, Mark, no need to be so formal!" Dorothy cooed, leaning closer and putting a hand on his forearm. She was dangerously close to the concealed knives he still carried and he stepped back quickly.

"Excuse me, Miss Dorothy." He kept his voice low and tried to smile. "Customers." He hurried down the bar to the two men who had just come in, more thankful to see them than they would ever realize. He filled their orders quickly and efficiently, then the day bartender Hane showed. He turned the till over to him in record time and escaped before Dorothy realized what was going on.

He walked slowly down the pre-dawn streets. It wasn't as crowded here when morning was approaching but one still had to be careful. He thought about Dorothy as he walked, about the hopeful smile on her tired face. His new way of looking at things still amazed him - he never would have noticed the loneliness and hunger in her eyes before he found he was going to lose his sight. He wished he could help her, but it wasn't in his heart to love her or any of the others, and that was what they needed. Not the physical fling they thought they wanted, but a real, true love. The kind he would like to have for himself, the kind he thought he could get by pursuing Shampoo.

Shampoo. He hadn't though of her in days - it had ceased to surprise him that he could think of her now without his heart seizing up in pain. The sudden maturity forced on him by his dilemma had made him see his 'love' for what it was - a crush, a longing for something he only thought he saw in the uncaring girl.

He sighed softly and forced his thoughts away from his old life. There were very few things or people he wished to remember from it. He had made a list of things he wanted to see, to memorize in case he never saw anything again, and he used the few daylight hours not devoted to sleeping to search them out. Today he wanted to watch the sunrise over the little lake in a nearby park. One of his drunker customers had gone on and on about the beauty of it. The other patrons had laughed and called him 'Poet', and Mousse wanted to know how correct his clouded words had been. If the view was even half as lovely as he claimed, it would be a memory worth collecting.

He glanced at the sky - it was turning light grey with approaching dawn and he quickened his steps. He wanted to see every bit of this sunrise, and that meant he needed to be sitting by the lake in the next five minutes. He darted around a corner, slammed into someone and dodged away, murmuring an apology and increasing his speed. Bumping someone wasn't exactly safe here - he knew not to make eye contact and to get out of sight as quickly as possible. He forgot the incident as soon as he turned the next corner and saw the gates of the park ahead of him.

*

Ranma had spent the past few weeks searching for Mousse - unable to explain to anyone exactly _why_, but not about to stop until he found him. Ryoga and Akane had been willingly involved - they were a little worried about Mousse, too, _and_ it gave them an excuse to be together. When Ranma found out how much they cared for each other he'd been relieved, not angry. He liked Akane, truly he did, but he didn't want to marry any of his 'fiancees'. She kept things quiet because of her family, still pretending to pursue Ranma. Ryoga grudgingly let her, slowly becoming friends with the other martial artist himself. They kept up their feud in public, both willing to protect Akane.

All three of them felt terrible upon learning Mousse might go blind - and confused as to why he chose to disappear instead of asking for help. They didn't stay confused long. Akane decided to ask Cologne, in a roundabout way, what she and her great-granddaughter would do if Mousse came back and was more handicapped than when he had left. The ancient crone had gazed at her for a long moment, opened her mouth to speak, and was promptly interrupted by an eavesdropping Shampoo.

"Get rid of Duck Boy, if comes back like that. _Kill_ him if comes back anyway..." Shampoo was still having to work, although they'd been forced to hire a second waitress and a dishwasher - another grievance against Mousse. They were far from happy at spending money on what they'd gotten from him for free. Akane had stared at her, open-mouthed, and looked to Cologne to see if she agreed. The old woman nodded.

"No place in Amazon tribe for someone like that. Should have been taken care of when a child, and found needed such strong glasses. Pfft, some warrior." She'd turned back to her cooking, still muttering under her breath. Akane had looked back and forth between her and Shampoo, who after her lovely little announcement had started painting her nails, humming softly. The other girl turned a little pale and left quickly.

"I don't believe it!" She screeched at Ranma and Ryoga a few minutes later. "They were just so _calm_ about it! They'll _kill_ Mousse just because he's going blind! Gods, no wonder he ran!" She paced back and forth in front of them and kept on ranting. The boys tuned her out after a moment, going over a map of Nerima marked with where they'd already searched.

When they started they had been looking for signs that Mousse had left the city, asking returning travelers if they'd seen him, asking caravan leaders if anyone matching his description had been with them. For two weeks they'd had no luck, then Dr. Tofu had invited them back... for tea. There had been a note in the file that Mousse had been back for a checkup, and had casually mentioned that he'd walked over. That meant he was still in Nerima, and if they looked hard enough surely they could find him?

Ha. They'd been looking for two more weeks, and nothing. Not a whisper of someone dressed in blue and white Chinese clothing, no one with thick glasses and gorgeous long black hair. They'd started on other descriptions, short black hair in case Mousse cut it - that idea gave Ranma the shivers - regular clothes, anything they could think of. They still got zip, until a drunk they half-heartedly questioned last night told them about a new bartender at his favorite bar. "Dark hair, I think, thick glasses, I know... face like an angel." His name he couldn't remember, but thought it started with an 'M'. It was enough for them to plan this morning's trip around that area.

It had to be early morning, since Ranma and Akane had school later. Ryoga could go anytime, but preferred to be with his love. Despite the fact that he was becoming close friends with Ranma, he just never felt like he got enough time with Akane. He was making plans on selling his house and moving to another town, taking Akane with him - as soon as she finished school. If her family couldn't accept her marrying someone she actually _loved_, then they'd have to get along without her. Akane was alright with the plan, because she felt that her family would only be able to hold out for a month or so before they welcomed her new husband. She thought the word 'husband' again and giggled in the middle of her rant, her cheeks turning pink.

Ranma and Ryoga both gave her an odd look but weren't about to ask what was going on. Who could figure out _girls_?

They started out an hour before dawn, reaching the seediest part of their city and wandering around for awhile. The drunk's directions had been pretty garbled - they didn't see a bar called 'Golden Reindeer' - what was with _that_ name? - anywhere. After a while they split up to cover more ground. Ranma headed off on his own while Ryoga and Akane went in the opposite direction. They were all really hoping they wouldn't find Mousse here. It was disgusting. There were prostitutes, bars, opium dens, gambling casinos _everywhere_. It was dirty and grimy and all three of them wanted to go home and scrub in a hot soapy bath.

Ranma turned a corner and was nearly knocked off his feet by someone running towards him. He got a quick glimpse of someone tall and thin, dressed in jeans and a strange shirt, a long brown braided whip of hair. Then they were around him and gone, a muffled "Sorry about that!" drifting back to him as they ran. He took one more step and stopped short. He knew that voice.

He pivoted sharply and ran after the fleeing figure.

*

Mousse ran through the park entrance like all the demons of Hell were on his trail. He had planned all night for this sunrise and was fiercely determined not to miss it. He found the little concrete bench he had remembered being in front of the lake and stopped abruptly, sitting down on it casually and folding his legs like he was going to meditate. He took a small paper bag out of his pocket and started munching on the fruit he'd packed for his dinner, looking for all the world like he was waiting for a movie to start.

*

Ranma skidded to a stop about fifty feet away and stared. He'd really thought someone was after Mousse, the way the other boy had been running, and the sudden change to calmness left him blinking in surprise. He stood still for a long moment, watching the other boy.

Mousse was thinner, not too much but enough to be noticeable. His hair looked good in a braid, or would have if it was still black. Ranma wasn't sure he liked the jeans and the long-sleeved, high collared shirt under a t-shirt but... wait just one minute! Who cared how Mousse was dressed? He was worried about the other boy, wanted to find him and help him because he was going _blind_, right? Right!

He took a deep, settling breath and marched forward, settled down on the bench beside Mousse. The wide grey eyes turned to him for a second, peering at him above the rims of the sleek new glasses. He instinctively leaned forward, close enough for Mousse to see who he was. The other boy blinked at him, then turned those soulful eyes back to the tiny lake. Ranma's dark eyes followed, wanting to see what was so mesmerizing.

For a long moment it was nothing, just a grey lake reflecting a dull grey sky. Then a slow flush of pink, soft against the grey. Shades of red, violet and indigo followed, spreading smoothly across the bluing expanse of sky. The mirror of water reflected it all back, twin images of beauty almost confusing to watch. The sun appeared, a slim line of fire against the dark horizon, seemed to move upward so slowly, licking a trail of fire across the azure waters of the lake, until it bounded suddenly, fully into view. The exquisite blend of colors faded, leaving a soft, bright sun in a blue morning sky.

Ranma took a deep breath and realized at least ten minutes of silence had gone by - and that he'd been sharing Mousse's bits of fruit. The other boy sighed and stretched, blinking his eyes in a soft, sleepy way that made him swallow hard.

"Ranma - what are you doing here?"


	6. Chapter Six

6

"I want to help." Mousse gazed at him, solemn.

"With what?"

"I want to help you earn the money you need for your surgery. That's why you left, isn't it?" Ranma didn't mind that he was being blunt. He knew Mousse well enough to know that the other boy wouldn't appreciate him taking the subtle approach. Mousse frowned.

"How do you know about that?"

"Dr. Tofu."

"He _told_ you?!"

"Not exactly..." Ranma had the grace to blush. "I sort of... read your file." He watched while several different emotions crossed Mousse's expressive face. Surprise, irritation - a little fear.

"Who else knows?" Mousse wasn't happy that anyone knew, but he had learned that Ranma didn't lie about serious stuff. If he said he wanted to help, then he really wanted to help. Why was another question, but he'd get to that later.

"Just Akane and Ryoga. They won't tell anyone that you don't want to know. Neither will I."

"I didn't want _you_ to know."

"Why?"

"I..." Mousse hesitated for a long moment. "I don't want your pity. I never cared - before - when I was just being a moron chasing Shampoo and everyone made fun of me. I deserved it for being that stupid. For being that sort of blind. I - things are different now. _I'm_ different. And I don't want pity for this sort of blindness." He touched the outside corner of one eye gently.

"I don't pity you, Mousse. I just want to help - no one should have to do something like this on their own." He wasn't sure if Mousse believed him, so he plowed on. "I mean - we're sort of friends, aren't we? If it hadn't been for... er... Shampoo, we would have really been friends?" Mousse sat still for a long moment, thinking about that one. Strangely enough, he felt Ranma was right. All the times they'd fought, it had been because Mousse had done what was expected of a good Amazon warrior male, and challenged the man his Beloved was hanging onto.

"Maybe." He said, and saw Ranma's face brighten.

"Yeah. So friends help each other, right? Not pity each other, but help. I want to help you."

"So do we." Said a voice behind them, and both turned quickly to see Akane and Ryoga standing there, hand in hand. Mousse quirked an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment. Ryoga grinned sheepishly and Akane blushed, but plowed on. "We're _going_ to help you. We won't take 'no' for an answer. So get used to it."

"You haven't changed much." Mousse said dryly, and Ranma snickered. Ryoga even grinned, getting a glare from his sweetheart. "How do you intend to help? You both have school."

"I don't." Ryoga interrupted. "I earn more than enough money on my trips to take care of me. How long... um, how long before you _have_ to have the surgery?"

"About seven months." Dr. Tofu had told him for the best results he needed to have the surgery within that time limit. After that, the chances of it being successful weren't as good - a year from now they would be non-existent. He'd started with eight months, but one was already gone. The others were gazing at him solemnly. He narrowed his eyes, looking for signs of pity. He didn't see any. Yet.

"How much do you have to earn?" Ryoga was still doing the talking.

"Seven thousand." Now all three eyes were huge. That was a _lot_ of money for teenagers to come up with.

"How much do you have?" Ryoga sounded a little strangled.

"I've got a savings account with six hundred in it. I earned five hundred extra this month, beyond expenses. I'm looking for a second job." The other three had gaped for a second, but were recovering. Akane was shaking her head.

"No, you'll get too tired. That can't be good for your eyes." Akane had a mothering streak a mile wide. She usually kept a firm hold on it, but this situation was making it break free. Mousse scowled at her.

"It'll be worse, if I don't." She and Ryoga moved to sit on the grass next to the bench. The sun had already dried the dew.

"You're forgetting that we'll be helping now. How much extra do you earn a month, Ryoga?"

"Maybe two hundred. But that's right now - I don't usually go out of my way to look for extra."

"I really don't like you just giving me money you should be saving. Especially if..." Mousse trailed off, looking at their still-entwined hands.

"Oh, you can pay us back." Akane replied airily. "Afterwards, you know? Consider it a loan, if you want to."

Mousse was still uncertain, but that made him feel a little better. He nodded.

Akane smiled at him and kept going. "Ranma and I will have to get part-time jobs, so we won't be able to contribute as much. Quit frowning, Ranma! You know our families will kill us if we drop out or skip school!"

"I know it." Ranma growled. "Doesn't mean I have to like it." He wanted to be able to run out and earn the money Mousse needed in one day - he didn't want the other boy to have to wait one second longer for the medical treatment he needed. That was impossible for now - wasn't it? - so he had to do something he didn't normally do - be serious. He sighed... but Mousse was worth it. His brain shied away from thinking _why_. "What kind of jobs can we get? What are you doing, Mousse?"

"Bartender. It's a lot like working at the Nekohanten. There aren't a lot of jobs around here." The last was said warningly - he'd been incredibly lucky finding his job.

"So we have seven months and we need to earn 6,500 dollars." Akane was thoughtful. "That's what... about $900 a month? Maybe a little more..." Math wasn't her strong point.

"$928." Ryoga, on the other hand, was pretty good at it. "If Mousse is earning five, and I can probably get two-fifty... you guys need to come up with about $180. Ninety bucks apiece. What kind of part-time job pays that?"

"Waitress." The boys blinked at Akane. "Really - they had to hire two for the Nekohanten after Mousse left, you know." She grinned at the astonished boy. "They never knew how good they had it when you were there. The girls keep quitting on them - Cologne's offered me the job three times already. She'll pay me seventy plus tips to work three hours a day, after school. So I should get my half, easy."

"Yeah, but you'd have to work for Shampoo." Mousse pointed out, surprising them. They had no idea of the epiphany he'd had concerning his former love.

"I can handle her." Akane replied airily, getting over her surprise quickly. She waved a casual hand. "All I have to do is complement her clothes or her hair and not mention that my family thinks I'm engaged to Ranma, too. She loves me."

All three boys laughed.

"Well," Ryoga chortled, getting over his laughing fit, "That just leaves Ranma. What are you going to do?"

"Skip school." At Akane's horrified look he quickly added, "Just for today, Akane! I'm going to look around for a job here, where no one knows me. That way they won't ask any weird questions. Mousse doesn't want anyone to know, remember?"

"Oh... right. Well, I'll think of a good excuse for taking the Nekohanten job. And I guess skipping one day is all right. I'll tell your teachers you're not feeling well. You do look kinda pale."

"That's because I got dragged out of bed before dawn." Ranma grumbled, teasing her. She grinned. He turned to Mousse. "So where's a good place to look?"

Mousse shrugged. "I don't know. I've tried the other bars, no one's hiring there. The restaurants usually want waitresses, not waiters." He yawned and glanced at his watch.

"Do you need to be somewhere?" Akane asked.

"The place I'm staying includes breakfast in the rent. I don't want to miss it." He liked to get there early, when you got your pick of the good food. A lot of the drunks and addicts staying at the run-down boarding house staggered down when it was cold and the few working tenants had picked everything over. They didn't care. They would eat and go back to bed. He didn't add that he usually took enough to make lunch and dinner, as well. He didn't eat a lot anyway and it cut down on his expenses.

Ranma brightened a little at the thought of food. "Hmm, I could eat. What's a good place around here?"

"I don't eat out much - I think there's a nice little café just over on the other side of the park, though."

"We'll get a bite, Ranma, but Mousse has the right idea. We need to bring food from home - except you can still get free dinners for 'Beloved Airen' at the Cat Café, can't you?"

Ranma turned red and glanced at Mousse, who just laughed. Ranma was relieved - although he didn't quite know why. Because Mousse wasn't pining over Shampoo anymore? Or because he wasn't mad at him? He didn't know and refused to think about it. When Mousse got up to leave, he also refused to let him out of his sight.

"You guys can get breakfast - I'll find something closer to your place, Mousse. I want to see where you live, okay? Then I'll start looking for work. Meet you guys tomorrow at school?" He asked Akane.

"All right." She said slowly, giving him a funny look. "Bye for now, Mousse." She and Ryoga walked off toward the café, glancing back once or twice.

Mousse looked at the lake for a long moment, memorizing the way the sun glinted off the water, then turned away. Ranma fell into step beside him.

"You... you can go up to my room, if you want. I'll bring you some food." Mousse offered, almost shyly. He'd never had a visitor before - never had a place of his own for someone to come and visit.

"All right!" Ranma didn't bother with how eager he sounded, and Mousse assumed it was over the idea of getting fed. He led the way through the ugly streets to the uglier boardinghouse. Ranma gave it an odd look but didn't comment. Mousse motioned for him to be quiet and led him up the stairs, unlocking a door and pushing him inside.

"I'll be right back. Lock the door, ok?" He vanished.

Ranma shut the door and turned the lock, surveying the room. It was better than the little cubbyhole in the Nekohanten - not like that was saying much. The walls here were painted white and could used a good scrub, but the rest of the room was clean. The bed looked comfortable enough, not like the other one - that one had looked like it would gladly stab the sleeper with a spring at the slightest provocation. There was a bureau with a cracked mirror over it and a small nightstand with an alarm clock, one on either side of the bed. An open door showed a tiny bathroom beyond.

"Not too bad, I guess." He muttered, walking over to the bed and dropping down on it. It was rather comfortable - and had the soft scent of peaches and cinnamon... like Mousse. He had his nose buried in the pillow, breathing deeply, before he realized what he was doing. Even then, he couldn't bring himself to pull away. He only moved when he heard the key in the lock again.

Mousse carried a tray in one hand, two paper bags in the other. He sat the bags on the bureau and offered the tray to Ranma. "Take whatever you want." He lifted a fat peach off of it for himself and sat down on the bed. "Sorry there's nowhere else to sit."

Ranma shrugged and plopped down beside him, secretly pleased. "S'okay." He watched for a moment while Mousse bit into the peach, then swallowed and turned to the tray. There was a plate of eggs and bacon and a nice assortment of fruits, and several glasses of milk and orange juice. Mousse finished the peach and reached for some juice. Ranma started on the eggs. "Don't you want some of these?"

"No. I don't like bacon much and I've eaten so many eggs I'm sick of them. Lately all I want is fruit and veggies."

"Not good for you."

"So says the man who lives on ramen." Mousse replied, and Ranma scowled at him. "What, it's true!"

"I do not! I just - have it a lot, that's all. You need other stuff."

"I drink the milk, too. Sometimes the cook makes sausage or pancakes. My diet's balanced enough."

"Then why have you lost weight?"

Mousse stared at him, but didn't try to deny it. "I just - I haven't been very hungry."

Ranma scowled again. "You have to eat. But don't worry, Akane'll be watching you now. Just wait."

Mousse groaned and rolled his eyes. He set down the empty juice glass and ate a few grapes, then stretched out on the bed behind Ranma.

"I'm beat. When are you going to look for a job? I'm not running you out..."

"I know. Do you - can I..." Ranma swallowed, keeping his face away from the other boy. He wanted - really _really_ wanted - to go to sleep beside of Mousse. Nothing else... just to stretch out and close his eyes and listen to him breathe. "Do you care if I take a little nap? I'd like to be... rested. You know?"

"Okay." Mousse yawned again. "Just, would you set the glasses and the plate outside the door? The cleaning lady picks them up. Keep the fruit and anything you didn't drink."

"All right. What's in the bags?"

"Carrot sticks for lunch, fruit for dinner." Mousse was nearly asleep. By the time Ranma came back from disposing of the dishes, he _was_ asleep, curled up on his side with his back to the other boy. Ranma watched him for a moment, then set the clock for two hours and carefully lay down beside him, moving as close as he dared. He forced himself not to wonder what on earth he was doing, and soon fell into a relatively peaceful sleep.

*

The alarm startled both of them awake and Ranma quickly slapped it off. "Sorry!" He muttered to Mousse, who nodded and cuddled back down into his pillow.

"Set it for five, would you?" He watched while Ranma obeyed and while he proceeded to eat one of the leftover apples. "Take some with you. You won't have to worry about lunch. When... are you going to come back soon?"

"I'll be back about five-thirty. What time do you have to go to work?" He ignored the other's surprise at his returning so soon.

"Not until ten."

"What are you going to do this evening?"

"Find a sunset."

"Huh?" Ranma had no idea what Mousse meant.

"Find a sunset. I found a sunrise this morning. I - I'm trying to memorize things. Beautiful things and ordinary things. Just in case... you know..." Ranma swallowed hard, his stomach suddenly queasy.

"Yeah." He said hoarsely, hoping Mousse wouldn't mistake sorrow for pity. "Yeah, I understand. I'll help you find one, okay?"

"Good." Mousse muttered, closing his eyes. "I haven't found a good one on my own yet."

Ranma watched until the other boy was asleep, then leaned over him carefully, studying the calm face. Without his glasses, Mousse looked like a sleeping angel. So innocent - so beautiful. Ranma sighed, not concerned this time that he cared how Mousse looked. Before he could think about it he leaned down and brushed a quick, light kiss across the white forehead.

"I'll find myself a job." He whispered, turning toward the door. As he went out, he paused to look back one more time.

"And I'll find you a sunset."

He locked the door behind him.


	7. Chapter Seven

7

And he did.

Found Mousse the perfect place to watch a beautiful sunset, went out with him to risk being struck by lightening while they watched an awesome thunderstorm, took a walking trip with him one weekend to sit and watch the ocean. Ranma was beginning to gain appreciation for his own eyesight, to look at things the way Mousse was looking at them. He'd never noticed how beautiful things were - his friend could even point out the beauty in everyday things, the patterns in the swirled dirt at the edge of a road, the kaleidoscope effect of stacks of canned vegetables on a grocer's shelf, the dance raindrops made running down a glass window.

Beautiful.

So was Mousse. He'd stopped dying his hair with the temporary brown color, and after several washings it was back to its former raven black. He kept it in the braid, but it still made him look more like his old self. Ranma spent every moment he could with him, and the two drew closer than they would have ever dreamed before. They would have _laughed_, before, if anyone had suggested they would become so connected.

Mousse thought Ranma was beautiful, too - he liked the look of maturity that was growing in his eyes - Ranma had always been such a careless jester. Now his carelessness was translating itself into 'carefree' - he wasn't, he had a job doing loading work at a warehouse and it wasn't easy - but he managed to keep some of his breezy personality. The good parts. His friends were glad.

Akane was doing well in her waitress role - she managed to put up with Shampoo since she'd had long practice. Cologne had been so eager to keep 'good help' that she'd raised her pay to seventy-five dollars a month. Ryoga's earnings had fluctuated, usually between two and three hundred dollars, sometimes falling below, once even earning $325. It had been four months since they'd started helping Mousse and the total in the savings account was steadily growing.

Things were looking good.

*

'Things aren't looking so good...' Akane thought, watching Ranma gaze at Mousse while the other boy gazed at the water. They were in a little riverside café that boasted a lovely view of Nerima's only river - and Akane supposed it was nice enough. Since things were going so well with their earnings, Akane's motherly impulses made her declare they needed to relax once in a while - so she took them to nice restaurants, ones that had good food at reasonable prices.

And Ranma was right - she made Mousse eat everything she ordered for him. Well, he _was_ too thin!

Now she was beginning to be worried about Ranma. The younger boy was so obviously in love with Mousse that total strangers could tell. He followed him around with 'puppy eyes', for gods sake! Yet Mousse seemed totally oblivious - and if his former single-minded, one-sided love affair was anything to go by, he was completely heterosexual. She owed it to Ranma to find out, right? To keep him from getting his heart broken, right? Right!

She didn't mind a bit that her former fiancé seemed to be in love with a boy - she thought it was cute. It was just time to find out if he had a chance.

"Mousse?" She started, dragging the boy's attention away from the sunlight sparkling on the water. Something in her voice made Ranma and Ryoga sit up and pay attention, too.

"Yes, Akane-san?" Mousse was always very polite with her.

"What do think about love?" She got a blink and look that clearly said, 'huh?' in return.

Ranma looked at Ryoga wildly, _his_ look saying, 'please - stop her!' Ryoga just grinned. This ought to be good.

"I _mean_..." Akane was plowing on, full steam ahead. "Love. As in, being in love? Look!" She pointed across the river to another café, where a man and woman were feeding each other at a table. "And then, look over there!" Her finger indicated a couple strolling along the riverside now - two men, hand in hand. She'd seen them heading that way a moment ago and decided to use them to get the conversation going where she wanted it to go. Mousse just looked at them, his delicate face expressionless.

"Well?" Akane prompted.

"I - don't know. I guess they're in love..."

"That's not what I'm asking! I mean, do you think _you_ could be that guy? Or one of those two?" She pointed again to the two different couples, and Mousse seemed to understand what she was driving at.

"Oh... I think..." He frowned, his eyebrows drawing together. Ranma nearly started shaking. "I think you should take love wherever you can find it. Can we change the subject, please?" Mousse was afraid the girl was going to bring up Shampoo - she was the _last_ thing he wanted to talk about. Anyway... love wasn't for him. Not anymore. Who would ever love someone who was going blind? They'd have to take care of him for the rest of his life - accept a burden like that... no one would do it. Ever.

Akane accepted the subject change with a mild huff, planning to try again next time. Maybe Mousse just needed a little time to think. She and Ryoga missed the sad, hopeless look that flickered through those grey eyes, but Ranma didn't. He knew Mousse was over Shampoo - so what was wrong?

He was determined to find out.

*

After they left the café they separated, Akane and Ryoga heading for home while Ranma and Mousse just wandered. All of them had the day off, nothing pressing to do. The sun was beginning to set over the buildings - Mousse was used to being up all night, so when they met like this it was always late afternoon. They drifted into the park, both of them heading for the same bench as before without a word being spoken. They didn't sit, just stood near it. They were silent as they watched the lake reflecting bits of sunset - it wasn't as glorious as the sunrise, since sunset was across the park, but it was pretty enough to see the reds in the sky reflected in the water. After the colors faded, they started walking again, and Ranma wondered how long he should waited before bringing up the conversation at the café?

He waited as long as his impatient nature could - a grand total of six minutes. Then, "Why did you look so sad?"

"What?" Mousse blinked at him through the thick-lensed glasses.

"At the restaurant, when Akane was talking about love. Did you... do you miss Shampoo?" His heart ached over that question, but the surprised look of near-horror on the other boy's face instantly soothed it.

"Shampoo?! No!" Mousse paused and went on more calmly. "I know I acted like she was the world to me, Ranma, but it... I don't know. It was childish - just puppy love, I guess, even if I was so serious about it. I was already - I was fighting it, but I was already beginning to see what she really was before Dr. Tofu told me. And then... I knew what her reaction would be."

"Really think they would... kill you?" Ranma felt fury at the very thought. Mousse shook his head.

"No. Not really. But they would have thrown me out of the tribe - not that it seems like such a big loss to me anymore - but they would have thrown me out of the café right then, and not let me take anything with me, I would have been homeless, with no way to earn the money I need."

"Bitches." Ranma said coldly, and the other boy agreed.

"Yes. But that's how they were taught to be - that's the way Cologne's been all her life, and Shampoo is being trained to be just like her. I don't think you can blame them for the way their environment's made them. Sometimes I really have to think hard not to agree with it." Ranma put out a hand and grasped his shoulder.

"You're worth more than that, Mousse. But - if you weren't thinking about Shampoo, then why does the idea of love make you so sad?"

Mousse didn't reply for a long moment - just walked silently beside his friend, his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. Ranma didn't push him. He just waited, moving along the sidewalk as close to the other boy as he could get. After a few moments Mousse sighed and pushed his glasses back on his head, leaving the big grey eyes staring blankly forward. Ranma knew he only did that anymore when he didn't want to be distracted by what he was seeing - he was too greedy for imagery to memorize to walk around half-blind like he always used to.

"It's just that - I don't think I should be so concerned with love any more. I used to devote everything to it, you know? Everything I did was for Shampoo, every thought I had was about her, I didn't move without wondering how it would affect her. I was insane." He grinned, and Ranma grinned back, although he knew the other boy couldn't see it and he really didn't feel like grinning, anyway. How could he ever hope to compete with a love like that? What Mousse referred to as a 'crush' was what most people would give their life blood for - someone so fiercely devoted to them.

"So why don't you think you should be concerned anymore? About love, I mean?" Ranma almost didn't want to ask the question - what if Mousse wasn't interested in falling in love again? Maybe, even if it was just a 'crush', he didn't have enough of his heart _left_ to fall in love with someone else.

But Mousse just huffed, giving him a half-glare. "Come on, Ranma. Don't be dumb. Who's going to want to fall in love with me? No one wanted me before, when I could at least see a little. Who in their right mind would want to be with me now? Do you have any idea how much of a burden I'll be if I can't get the surgery or if it doesn't work? No one would be that crazy!"

Ranma felt something cold and hard in his chest break up at those words. "Mousse..."

The other boy scowled at him. "What?"

"I... I'd be that crazy."

Mousse blinked.

They both stopped short, having reached a deserted area of the park, and stared at each other. Ranma's gaze was hungry, eager, hopeful. Mousse's was wary, questioning, searching the other's face for any hint of deceit.

When he didn't find any, his mouth dropped open a little.

"Ranma...?!"

"I... I..."

"You do _not_, Ranma! You just... it's just..."

"If you say pity, Mousse, I'll punch you." Ranma found his voice suddenly, glaring at the taller boy. "If I want to love you, I will _love_ you, and if I didn't want to, I wouldn't. I _pity_ Kuno for being a poetry-spouting idiot. I don't love him. I _pity_ Shampoo for being a stupid bitch who can't see what she's got right under her nose. I don't love her. I _pity_ Happosai for..."

"I get it, Ranma." Mousse said softly. He was gazing at the other with a faint trace of amusement in his eyes.

Ranma gulped and stopped his tirade. "So... so can you... would you...?" he trailed off, uncertain.

Mousse sighed. "I - Ranma, I never even thought..." He watched the other boy's face fall and hurriedly added, "but give me some time. I... I like you... maybe..."

Ranma lost his kicked-puppy look and beamed at him. "All the time you need, Mousse-chan! But - can I just...?"

"Just what, Ranmmphf?!" Mousse found out 'just what' when Ranma seized him by his braided hair and pulled him into a quick, desperate kiss. Both of them kept their mouths closed, Mousse frozen with astonishment and Ranma fearful of pushing his friend too far. Two very different minds were flooded with two very different thoughts.

'KissedhimkissedhimIkissedMousseI'mnotdeadhedidn'tkillmeIkissedhimfirstkissheletme...'

'Huh... kissing's kind of... fun...'

*

First kisses, when they don't lead to fistfights, lead to other firsts...

The first time that a small, strong hand closed around a long-fingered, slender one...

The first time Akane's giggling brought two boys out of a blissful gazing-at-you haze...

The first time Mousse hugged Ranma since that one memorable occasion when he'd mistaken him for Shampoo....

The first time Ranma was bold enough to explore the hot, wet depths of Mousse's mouth with his tongue...

The first time sliding his hands inside of a shirt to stroke smooth, warm skin got Ranma a hum of pleasure instead of a startled punch...

And Ranma's favorite to date: the first time two pale slender hands explored inside his shirt in return.

Ranma sighed at the memory as he stretched out on his bed. He hadn't seen Mousse for three days and the ache in his chest surprised him. He knew he loved him, but he didn't like dealing with the painful side of love - worry, loneliness...

"Ranma!" A high pitched shriek had him off the bed and ready for battle in seconds.

"Akane?!"

He rushed down the stairs to find his former fiancee sporting an aura so strong he could almost taste it. Half battle aura, half intense worry. Something was really wrong.

"What's going on?! Is Ryoga okay?!"

"Ryoga? Ryoga's _fine_! Ranma - we've got to stop her! She can't do it!"

"Huh?"

"She _can't_! Of all the sneaky, underhanded things to do! She's so selfish! It's not _fair_ and we're doing so well! And we've only got four months left to finish earning! She..."

"This has something to do with _Mousse_?!"

Akane nearly staggered at the flare of Ranma's own aura, stopping her frantic pacing.

"Didn't I say so? I thought I did! We've got to stop her, right?"

"Stop who from doing what?" Ranma's voice was frighteningly calm, startling Akane all over again. Thrilling her, too - he really _loved_ Mousse. He sounded so mature! How _sweet_!

"Akane!"

"Oh, right! Shampoo - she was talking to Cologne - she doesn't like spending all the extra money on wages - she's been hunting for Mousse - someone told her about the bartender at the Golden Reindeer - black hair, thick glasses - she said if it was him, she was dragging him back to his 'proper place' - _after_ she beats the hell out of him - that's a quote - and she's going tonight - and who knows how Mousse will act if she gives him an order - you know how weird Amazons are - no offense..."

Akane paused for breath and blinked, wondering when they'd gone outside? Ranma was striding through town, heading not for the Nekohanten, like she'd expected, but for downtown and Mousse's boarding house. It was around noon, he would be asleep.

Or he should have been.

When they got there, the room was empty.

*

Shampoo drummed her manicured fingers against the bar, waiting impatiently for this 'shift change' that should bring her stupid, wayward Duck Boy back into her clutches. Who knew the irritating creature had been so important to the running of her little café? Well, no matter, she'd have him back in place by morning, and a few bruises wouldn't keep him from waiting tables.

They would just remind him of his place.

She nodded to herself, knowing she was right. That was the way things worked - wasn't he a member of her tribe? A lowly male? He knew she was his better, his master. How dare he _ever_ go to work somewhere else? This was his 'training' that he'd left her for?! She'd had to _clean_, for goodness sake! And all those people had yelled at her...

Her foot started tapping, as well.

"Shampoo?" The familiar voice made her start and turn.

"Airen?!" What on _earth_ was he doing here? And mallet girl was with him, and that weird boy with a bandana...

"Where is he?" Why was Airen's voice so cold?

"Where who, Airen?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him - no point in wasting a flirting opportunity!

"Mousse. Where is he?"

As usual since he'd vanished, that name stirred anger in her soul. She narrowed her eyes, not thinking to wonder why her beloved Airen _cared_ where the boy was.

"Stupid Duck Boy! Should come soon. Shampoo _kill_ him - she wait two hour, already!"

Ranma looked like he was going to explode. Ryoga put a restraining hand on his arm even as Akane took over the conversation.

"So you don't know where he is?"

"Should be _here_ - if Shampoo finds right place..."

"So... you haven't seen him today?"

"No..." She looked at the other girl questioningly.

"Let's go then. He's got to be somewhere."

"Hey, you!"

They turned sharply to see an older woman half-glaring at them.

"Are you Mark's friends? He said you might come by."

"Uh... uh, yeah!" Akane had the presence of mind to remember Mousse laughing over the name his boss made him use.

"He stopped by and left this for you." She handed Akane a sealed envelope, her movements reluctant. They had a feeling she would have liked very much to open it.

"He won't be in this evening - left us kinda in the lurch."

Ranma took the envelope, gave her and Shampoo one last measuring look, turned on his heel, and left.

Akane and Ryoga followed.

The two women blinked after them, then at each other.

They shrugged.

The older woman went back to work. Shampoo went back to waiting.

*

"Open it _now_!" Akane said impatiently, watching as Ranma just turned the envelope over and over in his hands, worry strong on his face. He almost didn't want to read this - what if Mousse was... was...

...telling him goodbye?

"Open it, Ranma." Ryoga said, his voice firm. There was no need for them to worry needlessly, and, "it could be good news."

Ranma sighed. It could be. He slid a finger under the flap of the envelope and slowly tore it open.

Ranma -

Dr. Tofu sent me a message to

come by his office. He said he

had something important to

tell me. I'm leaving this note

just in case you stop by - I'll

probably be there all evening.

See you tomorrow.

- Mousse

Ranma just studied those words, his brain and his emotions perplexed. One wanted to know exactly why Dr. Tofu would call Mousse in when he'd had a checkup only a week ago. The other couldn't decide whether to be relieved or more worried than before.

"Well?!" Akane's impatient voice broke through the temporary haze, and he handed her the note without a word. Even as she and Ryoga were reading it, Ranma had turned and started for Dr. Tofu's office. Even if Mousse hadn't asked him to come, he wasn't leaving him alone when something that _had_ to be important was going on. After a moment he heard his friends walking behind him. They hadn't had to ask where he was going.

*

Dr. Tofu seemed pleased to see them.

"Ranma! Ryoga! Oh, and Miss Tendo! How is... your sister?" He blushed faintly.

Akane looked rather amused. "Oh, Kasumi's just fine! She was speaking of you the other day."

Dr. Tofu's glasses started misting over and Ranma hurriedly jumped in. "Where's Mousse?"

"Mousse? Mou... oh, yes, Mousse, of course. I was just leaving to find you, Ranma. I have some good news. Mousse is in the hospital!"

"T-that's _good_ news?!" Ranma sputtered, and Dr. Tofu blinked at him.

"Of course it is. I found a surgeon willing to operate on his eyes for the amount you four had already earned. He was quite impressed by the story I told him. But he's leaving the country soon, so it had to be done tonight. Mousse didn't have time to come and tell you." He beamed at the three teenagers, who gazed dumbly back at him.

It was a bit much to take in at once.

They hadn't expected to worry about the operation for another three or four months. Now it had hit them out of nowhere, totally blind-sided them. They weren't sure how to react.

For a moment.

"You mean he's being operated on right this minute?! Or do I have time to see him first?" Ranma's voice was panicky.

"I'm sorry, Ranma. I'm sure he wanted to talk to you, too, but the doctor has to be in America by tomorrow evening. Everything was rushed. Don't worry; the surgery is delicate and specialized, but very low-risk. Mousse will be fine." He started rummaging through his files, talking to himself. The three teenagers were left gazing at each other again

"So... what do we do now?" Ryoga asked softly.

"We go to the hospital, of course!" Akane gently bopped him on the back of the head.

"And then?"

Ranma replied this time. "And then... we wait."

*****************************************

**A/N:** The way Mousse felt about love in this chapter is how a friend of mine told me she felt after being partially blinded in an accident. Her boyfriend proved her wrong. I don't think blind people are less than loveable, so DON'T FLAME ME!


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N: Sorry 'bout that Tokyo thing in the last chapter; it was supposed to say America. Guess my brain was on cruise-control. Fixed now.

KINDA WARNING: This chapter has some extremely mild lemonade.

CHAPTER 8

Ranma was pacing

Back and forth, back and forth.

He'd started with the waiting room, but the small space wasn't enough to calm him down. So he'd started making laps around the floor. When that wasn't enough, he added the stairs and the floor below.

Two hours into Mousse's operation, his 'laps' had grown to cover the entire ten-floor hospital and part of the parking lot.

He was driving Akane crazy.

Especially since each lap was taking less than a minute.

"Ranma," Akane moaned as he started his 137th lap, "you're making me dizzy. Sit down for a few minutes."

"'M too nervous." Ranma replied, bouncing on one foot impatiently. "If I sit still, I may die. Was it _supposed_ to take this long?!"

"Three and a half to four hours, Ranma. At the quickest. You don't want them to do some hurry-up job on Mousse, do you?"

"Of course not!" Ranma glared.

"Then calm down. It'll be over when it's over."

"Easy for you to talk." Ranma muttered. "Ryoga's right next to _you._"

Akane and Ryoga exchanged glances, and Ranma suddenly found himself pinned between them in a crushing hug.

"We know you're worried," Akane soothed, "it'll be all right."

"Yeah," Ryoga said, slightly embarrassed at being so mushy. "Mousse'll be fine."

"Yeah," Ranma pulled away from them, blushing slightly. "He'll be fine." He didn't look totally convinced.

But he did sit down.

*

People looked a lot smaller when they were in hospital beds. Even in rooms like this one, decorated for people who weren't really ill, who were there for specialized surgery like Mousse was. It might be bright and cheerful, with pictures on the walls and a vase of flowers, but it was still a hospital room.

And there were white bandages wrapped around Mousse's eyes.

That didn't help their sudden nervousness.

Mousse was still asleep, under the light anesthesia that made sure he wouldn't move during the delicate surgery. The nurse had told them he would wake up any time now, and it would help him if he knew they were here. Ranma swallowed nervously and moved to sit beside the bed, taking a limp hand in his. Akane and Ryoga sat together in the only other chair, Akane perched on her boyfriend's lap.

The nurse had been right - within a few minutes, Mousse stirred, moving his head restlessly on the pillow, black hair slipping down to puddle against his neck. Ranma gently stroked it back and Mousse's free hand caught his.

"R-ranma?" he whispered.

"Yeah. 'S me," Ranma said softly, letting go of Mousse's hand to stroke his cheek.

The slender white hand he had released lifted slowly, searching, and Ranma moved his head so the fingers bumped his chin. Mousse immediately began a hesitant exploration of his features, as though he didn't quite trust his ears with the truth of Ranma's voice.

After a long, quiet moment with delicate fingertips barely brushing Ranma's face, Mousse sighed. "Good," he whispered, and let his hand drop back to the bed.

Ranma shifted, feeling guilty and a little turned-on. The feathery touch of those fingers never failed to arouse him.

"Doctor... say any... thing yet?" Mousse was still very drowsy.

"Not yet."

"...kay." Mousse lay quiet for several moments, content to just lay still, his hand held firmly in Ranma's. Akane and Ryoga were satisfied just watching them, not worried about whether Mousse realized they were there yet.

The nurse came in and smiled at them. "Awake?"

"Yes." Mousse answered before any of the others could, his voice stronger than it had been before.

"Good!" She bustled over to the bed and quickly checked his vitals. "Very good! The doctor will be in to speak to you soon. You can have ice and water, but don't eat anything just yet. The anesthesia will leave you nauseous for awhile. Call me if you need anything." She vanished out the door.

A few more quiet minutes passed before the doctor came. At one point, Ranma got Mousse a glass of water, and at another point Akane's soft voice informed him that she and Ryoga were there.

Both incidents were replied to with the same appreciative humming noise.

The doctor came in, finally, and beamed at the teenagers before his eyes settled firmly on Mousse. He'd always been a bluntly-spoken person, and more than one patient had told him they appreciated the way he simply got to the point. He saw no need to change his ways now. These children wouldn't appreciate having things sugar-coated. "Well, son, you came through the surgery just fine, and I think you'll be pleased when those bandages come off. Now, I have good news and not so good news. Which do you want first?"

*

Two boys sat quietly in a dark room, neither willing to break the silence.

Mousse sat on his bed, dressed in loose pants and an oversized t-shirt. In the soft dimness, the bandages around his eyes were startlingly white.

Ranma sat with his back against the door, feeling the need to guard the room even though none of his enemies knew that he and his vulnerable love were in this dingy boardinghouse.

They'd left the hospital soon after the doctor had left the room. The nurses had been inclined to make Mousse stay longer, but the boy had insisted on leaving and he _was_ an outpatient. They couldn't make him stay once the anesthesia had worn off.

Akane and Ryoga had gone reluctantly back to their respective homes, but Ranma knew he'd not see his own bed tonight. Not for a few days more, either. There was no way he was leaving Mousse until those bandages were off. No way at all...

"Five years." Mousse's soft voice was rather dazed.

"It's better than a couple of months," Ranma was more inclined to be cheerful. Five years was wonderful! "And then they'll try the surgery again."

"What if it doesn't work?" Mousse had thought he wasn't hoping for miracles with this operation, but now he realized his subconscious mind had been. The doctor had said he was very pleased with the results, that Mousse should have three or four years of very good eyesight, then some deterioration over the course of a year. Then he could have a repeat of the procedure, which would either be totally successful or have the same result.

Or leave him completely blind, but that was a very weak possibility. One in several hundred thousand, the doctor had said.

So he'd try his best not to worry about it.

A sudden dip in the mattress, a weight at his side, told him that Ranma had crawled onto the bed.

"You worry way too much," the younger boy teased him, then he felt firm, sweet lips press against his. He sighed and opened his mouth without any prompting, letting Ranma explore the hot wet depths as much as he liked.

And Ranma liked to a _lot._

"You really taste good," he whispered, lifting his lips away after a long, pleasant moment of kisses.

"You do, too," came the even softer reply.

"Have you stopped worrying yet?"

"No."

Ranma sighed. "Okay. Then tell me what you're worrying about."

"Well... I have to pay Akane and Ryoga back, and save up for the next surgery, and even though five years is a lot better than not-quite one year, it still..."

"First off," Ranma interrupted, "It's _we_ have to pay them back and save up, not just _you._ And Akane has some ideas about it that we were going to talk over with you the next time we saw you, but you were too busy with some surgery thing. And five years is _great,_ and we're going to enjoy it. It's not like that's the length of time you have left to live, you know?"

Mousse was silent for awhile. "You're absolutely right," he finally answered, "and I'm going to try not to worry so much. Want to make out some more, instead?"

"Of course!" Ranma laughed, and pounced on him again.

*

Akane's idea, as it turned out, was more of a proposition. She and Ryoga had decided, after their recent experiences, that there were two kinds of eating establishments in Nerima. The kind with good food that you had to pay lots of money for, or the cheap kind with mediocre food. Well, really, there were four - you could pay good money for horrible food at the few 'status' restaurants in town, or pay a quarter for really crappy food.

So Akane proposed they start a restaurant of their own.

"With good food and reasonable prices. Nothing fancy. Like the Nekohanten, only - without the chaos. And with better decor."

Ryoga was looking for a good building in a nice location, while Ranma was beating himself over the head with schoolbooks, trying to get enough work done to graduate early, and Akane was going around trying to find out how much money they would have to borrow and who could loan it to them.

Mousse was trying to get used to sight.

Real sight, sharp and clear without the weight of glasses across his nose - and anyway, it was _better_ than it had _ever_ been when he'd worn glasses. The doctor had been rather disappointed that his vision wasn't even better, but Mousse was grateful.

He thought his brain would explode if he could see any better. He didn't know how other people could stand it.

There was so much _detail_ in the world. Not even his latest pair of glasses had been strong enough to show him what he was seeing now. He couldn't get his brain to process it.

There were all these things that he had known only because his fingers had told him so - that hair was made up of millions of fine strands, that trees had thousands of separate and distinct leaves. He'd only had his ears, before, to tell him that rain was made of thousands of tiny drops of water. He kept getting caught up in little moments of sight; Akane turning her head and making her black hair dance around her shoulders, a sunbeam breaking through the clouds and beaming light down onto the earth, wind blowing over a field of grass and he could _see_ all the blades bending and waving before the rush of air.

His friends were getting used to snapping their fingers in front of his face.

They didn't mind.

Mousse had agreed to Akane's restaurant plan almost before she'd finished telling him about it, more than happy at the idea of being the cook. He'd always secretly liked that part best; it was much nicer than dealing with irritable customers. He accepted Akane's word that she _enjoyed_ being the wait-person. She could do that all she wanted to.

Ranma was slated for deliveries, Ryoga wanted to keep to his wandering ways but promised support when they needed it and to bring back unusual recipes.

Life was almost perfect.

Would have _been_ perfect, if it hadn't been for Shampoo.

The lavender-haired maniac had followed Ranma one evening to see him meeting the other three in the park, where they'd talked for about a half an hour and then reverted to being teenagers and started chasing fireflies. She'd been stunned when she'd seen Mousse - it had taken her a few minutes to realize the lovely boy with the braid and the blue jeans was her former suitor - and then she'd realized he was chasing and catching the little lightening bugs with perfect ease.

And he wasn't wearing his glasses. They weren't even pushed to the top of his head like usual.

He could see.

That changed a few things. She'd gone running back to Cologne and the Nekohanten, where the two Amazon women had a long discussion that resulted in Shampoo appearing at the park the next day - she'd followed Ranma again - and informing them that as the future leader of her tribe, she was allowed as many 'airens' as she felt she needed. And she had decided to take both of them back with her.

She was a little insulted at the way they rolled on the ground, howling with laughter.

She'd tried ordering Mousse to stop and get up, and was angry when he didn't obey. She'd aimed a kick at him and Ranma had blocked it, then calmly threatened to rip her head off.

Something in his tone made her listen, for once.

She hadn't given up, though she _had_ refrained from physical violence against Mousse, even when he made her furious at his continued disregard for her orders. She'd threatened to kick him out of the tribe and he reminded her of the many times she and Cologne had told him he was 'useless' and 'not worthy of being in their tribe' - he considered himself no longer a member, anyway, so he didn't have to listen to her.

Ranma had shouted with laughter at the dumbfounded look on her face, then slid his arm through Mousse's and they'd strolled off together.

Shampoo had retreated, wondering if she was going to be able to come up with a plan _good_ enough to get both of the boys she now wanted.

*

Ranma and Mousse didn't care about Shampoo and her plans.

They went back to enjoying firsts.

The first time they shared a bed all night, although they did nothing more than some groping.

The first time they called the new apartment over the new restaurant 'home.'

The first time the kisses and touching after they were alone had led to something a little more serious...

That, by the way, was Ranma's absolute favorite first.

They had been painting the still-empty restaurant, trying to get it ready before the new month started. They were a little tired and covered with streaks and splotches of paint. Mousse had used the shower first - when Ranma came out after he was finished washing off, his koi was sitting on the bed, wearing a loose pair of pajama bottoms, his head bent over to brush the 'underneath' part of his hair.

The long black strands were like a waterfall of silk, so long it puddled on the floor. His elegant, pale-skinned back was curved slightly, showing the clean, smooth lines of his muscles. The motion of his strong, slender arms was mesmerizing.

Ranma had stared for thirty-seven long, slow seconds.

Then he pounced.

Mousse went from sitting on the edge of the bed to flat on his back on the mattress, with an enthusiastic whirlwind attached to his mouth, about six dozen hands exploring his body. He returned the favor with some exploration of his own.

They both got carried away, caught up in a blissful fog of passion. When they had come back to themselves - oddly enough, at almost the exact same moment - Ranma's towel had been thrown across the room and Mousse's baggy pants were around his ankles.

And they were grinding against each other in a _very_ interesting way.

They'd blinked at one another for a moment, thought it over, and kept right on going.

Then tried a few other things.

Later, they lay curled up together like sleepy puppies, Ranma stroking Mousse's hair while Mousse drew circles on Ranma's stomach with a lazy finger. Both of them were perfectly content - neither felt any desire to talk.

If they _had_ spoken, they would have discovered they were thinking pretty much the same thoughts.

That this was the best they'd ever felt.

The only time they had no trace of loneliness inside them.

And they weren't going to worry about the past or the future or the crazy people who wanted to rule their lives.

Who cared if they didn't know whether their story had a happy ending?

They had food, shelter, each other, and the certainty that it was going to have _some _sort of ending, and whatever it was, they would be together.

They were happy enough for now.

~owari~

_These things always I must place;_

_The taste of your lips_

_The sound of your voice_

_The shape of your face..._

- T.D. Rowe

- from the poem 'And They Blind Me'

A/N: Mousse's eye condition in this fic is a real condition. I don't know the medical name of it - it's about six yards long and would make a dandy tongue twister - but the six year old child my cousin adopted last year has it. It is caused by malnutrition during the formative years and can usually be corrected with surgery. Without surgery, your eyes get more painful and your vision gets worse until eventually you go blind. The surgery is usual outpatient and about 80% successful. The sooner it is done, the better. I thought it was easily a condition Mousse could develop, it also usually occurs when the eyes are already weak. As uncaring for Mousse as the 'Amazons' are portrayed in this anime/manga, I can stretch my imagination enough to see them neglecting a less-than-perfect child to the point he would be malnourished. I probably don't have every fact about the condition right.


End file.
